Sacramento And Elk Grove Both Hope To Attract The Attention Of The Major Soccer League

Major League Soccer officials will be in town this week evaluating Sacramento’s bid for an expansion team. But that won’t be the only city they’ll be visiting. They’re heading to Elk Grove to hear that city’s pitch for an MLS team.

Elk Grove Mayor Gary Davis has said he’s willing to combine bids with Sacramento, but at this point the city is working on a separate plan to land a professional soccer team. Joining us to explain what the city has in the works is Vice Mayor of Elk Grove Jim Cooper.

Support for soccer in Sacramento was made undeniably clear when fans shattered attendance records during the first season of the city’s lower-division USL Pro soccer club, The Republic FC.

Now, Major League Soccer is paying attention. MLS executives will be in Sacramento Thursday and Friday to evaluate the city’s bid for a professional soccer team. There are currently three other cities vying for a professional franchise –Minneapolis, Las Vegas and San Antonio- but the group developing the bid, which includes Sacramento Republic President Warren Smith and owner Kevin Nagle, are hoping the city’s football fan frenzy and plans to build a soccer stadium will beat the competition.

The Sacramento Bee’s Metropolitan Reporter Ryan Lillis has been following the story closely and joins us to outline what MLS is looking for in Sacramento this week.